Single actuator folding hatch cover



1959 B. s. APPLETON ET AL 2,918,122

SINGLE ACTUATOR FOLDING HATCH COVER Filed Feb. 19, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet l EU I jm @w rm ATTORNEYS Dec. 22, 1959 B. s. APPLETON ETA].-

SINGLE ACTUATOR FOLDING HATCH COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19. 1958 INVENTORS BY MW, @6542 rM ATTORNEYS Dec. 1959 B. s. APPLETON ETAI. 2,913,122

SINGLE ACTUATOR FOLDING HATCH COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 19. 1958 MY n,

ATTORNEYS Uit SINGLE ACTUATOR FOLDING HATCH COVER Application February 19, 1958, Serial No. 716,073

7 Claims. (Cl. 160-188) Where river boats, barges and the like have a hatchway which requires a number of panels for closure thereof, which panels must be individually removed and stored to provide access to the hatchway and then individually returned to position over the hatchway to close the latter, as the river boat or barge generally makes short trips or many stops during a single trip, requiring frequent opening and closing of the hatchway, the many 'manual operations required are burdensome and time- -consuming, requiring many personnel and delay the load- :ing and unloading the vessel.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide :a quick-acting hydraulically operated hatch cover installation for river boats, barges and the like, which is relatively simple in construction, having but few parts that .are not likely to become deranged even with long re- ,peated operation and which is dependable in operation .and which, with but a simple manipulation by a crew :member without undue effort on his part, may readily and rapidly effect movement of the hatch cover panels .from closed to open position and vice versa without :need for time consuming manipulation of the individual panels.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the .claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several tfeatures of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the installation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the installation, taken along line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the hatch cover in partly open position.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view showing the hatch cover in open position, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the hatchway.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 11 refers to the deck of a ship in which there is a substantially rectangular hatchway 12 from which rises 21 substantially rectangular coaming 13 which serves to support the hatch cover in the manner to be described.

Aflixed to the coaming 13 and extending laterally outward therefrom on each side thereof and along each of its ends are horizontal supporting strips 16 and 17 which illustratively are positioned slightly below the upper edge 18 of the coaming.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the hatchway is designed to be closed by a hatch cover comprising four panels A, B, C and D. The panels are of sufficient length that they may extend transversely across the hatchway with the lower edges of their depending skirts 19 at the ends 21 of the panels and at the outer longitudinal edges 22 and 23 of panels A and D resting on the supporting strips 16 on opposed sides of the hatchway as shown in Fig. 5 and on the supporting strips 17 at the front and rear ends 24 and 25 of the hatchway respectively as shown in Fig. 4.'

As shown in Fig. l, the panel A, adjacent the rear end 25 of the hatchway has a plurality of arms 26 affixed thereto, which extend laterally from its longitudinal edge 22. The end of each of the arms 26 is connected by means of a hinge 27 to the top of an associated upright standard 28 mounted on the deck of the ship to the rear of end 25 of the hatchway 12.

The adjacent edges 31, 32 and 33, 34 of the panels A, B and C, D are pivotally connected at their undersurface by means of suitable hinges 35 and the adjacent edges 36, 37 of the panels B and C are pivotally connected by means of hinges 38 on their top surfaces as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the panels A, Band C, D at their edges 31, 32 and 33, 34 having abutment blocks 40 secured thereto which retain the panels of each pair in the same plane when in closed position.

Afiixed to each of the ends 21 of panel C adjacent its longitudinal edge 37 is an arm 41 which, when the panels are in closed horizontal position (Fig. 3), will extend toward the rear end 25 of the hatchway, with the free ends of the arms 4-1 extending beyond the adjacent longitudinal edge 36 of panel B and straddling the ends 21 of said panel. The free end of each of the arms 41 has a pin 42 extending laterally outward therefrom on each of which is rotatably mounted a flanged roller 43 which rests on the inner edge of a fiat bar or track 44 mounted on supporting strips 16 and illustratively extendingthe length thereof.

Afiixed to the ends 21 of the panel D adjacent its longitudinal edge 23 is a bracket 45 which extends laterally outward from the panel D and has a depending arm 46 at its outer end which extends toward end 2 5 of the hatchway, the free end of each of the arms 46 having a pin 43 extending inwardly therefrom on which is rotatably mounted a flanged roller 49 which rests onthe outer edge of track 44.

As shown in Fig. 3, the track 44 has depressions 51 and 52 therein at the portions thereof engaged by the rollers 43 and 49 when the covers are in the closed position, the skirts 19 resting on supporting strips 16 and 17 when the rollers are in said depresions and an upwardly inclined block 57 is secured to the rear ends of tracks 44 adjacent the outer edges thereof, on which rollers 49 are adapted to ride.

Associated with the rollers 43 and 49 are guide rails 54, 55 respectively, each of which is an L-shaped member that has the lower edge of its vertical leg 56 secured to the track 44 as shown in Fig. 2.

The guide rail 54 extends from the portion of the track 14 on which rollers 43 rest when the hatch cover is in closed position, to the end of the track adjacent end 25 of the hatchway and the guide rail 55 extends the length of track 44. The horizontal leg 58 of guide rail 54 extends laterally inward, and the horizontal leg 58 of guide rail 55 extends laterally outward as shown in Fig. 2.

Means are provided to actuate the hatch cover panels to effect movement thereof from the closed position shown in Fig. 4 to the open position shown in Fig. 7.

To this end, as is shown in Fig. 4, a hydraulic jack 61 is pivoted at one end as at 62 to a bracket 63 affixed to panel A, illustratively along the central line of said panel with said pivot point being in line with the hinge connection 35 of panels A and B.

The free end of the plunger rod 64 of the jack has pivotally connected thereto as. at 65 a link 66, the free end of which is pivoted asat 67 to a bracket 68 connected to the panel C adjacent its edge 37, the pivot connection 6.! of said link 66, being positionedinwardly of the edge 36. of panel B and below the latter as is shown in Fig. 4. In addition, also pivoted as at 65. at onev end to. the free end of plunger rod 64 is a toggle link 69, the free end. of which is pivoted as at 71 to a bracket 72- connected to the panel B inwardly of its edge 36 and also inwardly of the pivotal connection 67 of'link 66 to bracket 68 and above said pivotal connection.

- In the operation. of the equipment, when the plungerrod 64 of jack 61 is extended as by application of fluid under pressure thereto, force will simultaneously be ap plied to pivots 62 and 67 Due to the fact that a lever arm is defined between hinge 38 and pivot 67, the moment about hinge 38 due to the force exerted by jack- 61 is greater than that about hinge 35.

As a result, the panel C will firstrotate about hinge 38. in a counter-clockwise direction, this movement also raising the edges 33, 34 of panels C and D which pivot about their hinge35, the rollers 49 at the edge 23 of panel D riding up the depression 52 and along the track 44 and being restrained from upward movement from said track by guide rail 55.

During the upward movement of panel C, as the rollers 43 atthe ends of arms 41 extend beyond the edge 36 of panel B as shown in Fig. 3, the lower edges of the skirts 19 of panels B and C at the ends 21 thereof adjacent the longitudinal edges 36, 37' of said panels will be lifted from the supporting skirts 16 to prevent rubbing when the panels B and C are moved to the left in the manner to be described;

When panels C and D have attained substantially vertical position, as. shown in Fig. 6, at which time they will be locked together by the latch 60, the continued extension of the plunger-rod 64 of jack 61 will still exert force against panel C. However, as the panels C and D have attained theirmaximum vertical position, by reason of the restraint to further pivotal movement in a counter-clockwise direction of said panels due to the engagement of rollers 49 with the guide rail 55, substantially the entire force exerted by jack 61 will now react against pivot point: 62. As the jack 61 is now at an incline, as shownin Fig. 6, due to the movement of'toggle link 69 in a counter-clockwise direction by reason or the initial extension of a plunger rod 64, the panel A will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to vertical position about its fixed hinge mount 27-. This will move the panel B. to such position and also cause the panels C-and D to roll along the track 44; to the stowed position shown in Fig. 7' in which all of the panels are clear of the hatchway; with the rollers 49 resting on the inclined block 57 on track 44 up which they have ridden.

When it is desired to close the panels, the latch 60 is first released and the jack 61 is actuated to retract its plunger rod. 64-. As a result, referring to Fig. 7, through the action of links 66 and 69, the panel C will be rotated in a clockwise direction about its hinge 38 to the right, carrying with it the panel D hinged thereto, the inclined block 57 on track 44- assisting in such initial starting movement as the rollers 49 on panel D will tend to roll down said block.

As. the plunger rod' 64'. is retracted, referring to Fig. 7, it will also cause the toggle link 69 to react against panel B moving the latter to the right.

With continuedretraction of plunger rod 64, the panels C and D will be moved; to horizontal position, at which time the blocks 40; on their top surface adjacent their edges 33,34 will abutto retain the panels in the same plane. Since at this time the rollers 43' and 49 of panels and D;wil 1- be resting on track 44; theskirts 19 of said panels will be spaced] from the supporting strips 16 Thereupon, further retraction 'of" theplunger rod: 64

will tinally move the panels-A and'B to closedhorizonml position over the hatchway at which time the rollers 43 and 49 of panels C and D will ride into the depressions 51 and 52 in the track 44 so that the panels C and D will be lowered until their skirts 19 rest on the supporting strips 16. As a result of the lowering of panel C, the panel B hinged thereto as at 38 will also be lowered as will be the panel A retained in the same plane as panel B by. the abutment blocks 40 so that the skirts 1 9 of panels A, and B will now also rest on the support! ing strip 16.

With the construction above described, a hatchway may be opened and closed by a single operator in a relatively short period of time, thereby expediting the loading and unloading of a. vessel with resultant savings in labor and docking costs.

Due to the simplicity of the actuating mechanism, it is dependable in operation and not likely to become derangedeven with long use.

Although the actuating mechanism may be used for hatch covers of any type, it is preferred to use the same for relatively light weight hatch covers, such as are found on river boats or barges which are not subject to heavy seas or have to support heavy cargo loads.

As many changes could be made in the above equip ment and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the- United States is:

1 Equipment for controlling access to a hatchway, comprising a hatch cover having at least three substantially rectangular, pivotally connected panels extending transversely across saidhatchway between its front and rear ends, means hingedly connecting the outer longitudinal edge of one of the outer panels of said hatch cover on a fixed mount adjacent the rear end of the hatchway, common force applying means to react against the two outer panels of said hatch cover to rotate said panels respectively in the same direction around the fixed mount and the pivotal connection of the other outer panel tothe intermediate panel, whereby said three panels will be moved to substantially vertical position, and means to afford a greater moment due to the force exerted by said force applying means to the other outer panel than to the first outer panel, whereby the other outer panel will be moved to substantially vertical position about its pivotal connection to the intermediate panel before movement of the first outer panel to vertical position about its fixed mount.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which means are provided to restrain rotary movement of said other outer panel about its hinge mount after it has attained substantially vertical position.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a fourth panel is pivotally connected to the outer longitudinal edge of said other outer panel, said other outer panel at the ends thereof adjacent its pivotal connection to said intermediate panel mounting a roller, the ends of said fourth panel at its outer longitudinal edge also mounting a roller, tracks for said rollers extending along the sides of said hatchway, and means to restrain vertical displacement of said rollers from said tracks.

4. Equipment for controlling access to a hatchway comprising at least three substantially rectangular, pivot: ally connected panels extending transversely across said hatchway between its front and rear ends, means hingedly connecting the outer longitudinal edge of one of said panels on a fixed mount adjacent the rear end ofthe, hatchway, a hydraulic actuator having a casing and a, plunger rod, means pivotally mounting said casingat one; end' to the undersurface of the panel hinged to the deck adjacent the edge of said panel pivotally connected to the adjacent panel, a link pivotally connected at one end to the free end of said plunger rod and at its other end to the third panel of said cover adjacent the pivotally connected edge thereof and below the level of said pivotal connection and a toggle link pivotally connected at one end to the free end of said plunger rod, and pivotally connected at its other end to the adjacent panel near its pivotal connection to said third panel.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which a fourth panel is pivotally connected to the outer longitudinal edge of the third panel, said third panel at each of the ends thereof adjacent its pivotal connection to said adjacent panel mounting a roller, each of the ends of said fourth panel at its outer longitudinal edge also mounting a roller, tracks for said rollers extending along the sides of said hatchway, a supporting skirt along each side of said hatchway mounting said tracks, each of the ends of said panels having a depending skirt adapted to seat on said supporting skirt inwardly of the track thereon, each of said tracks having depressions in which the rollers seat when the panels are in closed position, the skirts of said panels resting on the supporting strips when the rollers are in said depressions and means to restrain vertical displacement of said rollers from the tracks after the rollers 25 have moved out of said depressions.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the first panel and the adjacent panel and the third and fourth panels, at their associated pivotally connected edges each mounts an abutment member which retains the associated pairs of panels in the same plane when the panels are in closed position over the hatchway.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the last named means comprises a pair of guide rails, each rising from the track and secured thereto, the rollers at the ends of the fourth panel riding on the outer edge of the track and the rollers at the ends of the third panel riding on the inner edge of the track, the guide rail associated with the rollers on the inner edge of the track having a leg extending laterally inward above the associated rollers and the guide rail associated with the rollers on the outer edge of the track having a leg extending laterally outward above the associated rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,791,095 Mercier et al. May 7, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 746,115 Great Britain Mar. 7, 1956 

